The China Mail - Aussie Davis, American Gerard share PGA Championship lead

Davis, a 30-year-old from Sydney, and Gerard, a 25-year-old from nearby Raleigh making only his third major start, grinded out top rounds at rain-soaked Quail Hollow.

In his PGA Championship debut, Gerard reeled off four birdies to start the back nine and chipped in for eagle from nearly 60 feet on the par-five 15th to seize command before closing with back-to-back bogeys.

"When you're young and getting into it, like I want to play at the highest level, it's kind of a dream," Gerard said. "But to make that become a reality and see it be a reality... it's a little bit extra special."

World number 68 Davis, winner of the 2021 and 2024 PGA Rocket Mortgage Classics, started off the 10th tee and made seven birdies against two bogeys, highlighted by a 29-foot birdie putt at the par-five 10th, a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-three fourth and a 21-footer to birdie the par-three sixth.

"The swing is feeling a little better but I rolled in a lot of good putts," Davis said. "I was reading them well and made a lot of good distance putts to keep the momentum going."

Davis, however, missed the green with his approach at the ninth, his closing hole, and made bogey to fall level with Gerard.

"It's going to be harder to hold greens, but the greens will get smoother and faster," Davis predicted for the rest of the week. "The putts are just going to roll nicer and nicer."

Sharing second on 67 were England's Luke Donald, New Zealand's Ryan Fox, German Stephan Jaeger and American Alex Smalley, who made the field only when Sahith Theegala withdrew Wednesday with a neck injury.

Gerard, ranked 81st, was a runner-up at last month's Texas Open for his best PGA Tour showing.

Not since England's Graeme Storm in 2007 has a player led after his PGA Championship debut round.

"Playing solid for 16 holes, making some good shots out there, and will see if I can do more," Gerard said.

Europe Ryder Cup captain Donald, chasing his first major title at age 47, is trying to become the first Englishman since Jim Barnes in 1919 to win the PGA Championship.

Donald sank a clutch nine-foot par putt on the 18th hole to finish a bogey-free round.

"Very pleased with the score," Donald said. "It was a pleasant surprise. I got off to a really nice, steady start. I hit a bunch of fairways on the front nine which always makes me feel good about my game. I didn't hit a ton of greens but my putter was really good."

Only four Europeans have ever won the title, most recently by Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy in 2014.

Fox, a 38-year-old from Auckland, reached Quail Hollow off his first PGA Tour triumph last weekend at Myrtle Beach.

"I played really solid," Fox said. "I knew I was playing well and just tried to get out of my own way and let it happen."

Smalley, from nearby Greensboro, learned he had a spot barely 16 hours before his tee time. But the back-nine starter sank a 71-foot eagle putt at the par-five seventh to highlight his round.

"I was losing hope after every passing hour," he said. "It was nice to know before this morning I was going to play so I could mentally prepare."

- A top-three flop -

World number one Scottie Scheffler, second-ranked Masters champion McIlroy and third-ranked defending champion Xander Schauffele struggled, all of them making double bogey at the par-four 16th.

Scheffler followed a 35-foot eagle putt at 15 by finding water on his approach as did Schauffele. Both complained of mud clinging to fairway balls and no preferred lies rules permitting them to be cleaned.

"It's frustrating to hit the ball in the middle of the fairway and get mud on it and have no idea where it's going to go," Scheffler said.

"But I don't make the rules. I just have to deal with the consequences."

Scheffler fired 69, Schauffele shot 72 and McIlroy stumbled in on 74 at a course where he has won four times.

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